Centbefuaai



atented Nov. l5, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H.V HIMES, 0F PITTSBURGH, -flENlll'tYITAN'IA, .ASSIGNOR T0 WEBTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

cENrRmUGAL Darme MACHINE.

Application led July 19,

My invention relates to centriugally operated drying machines and it has particu-` lar relation to means for driving apparatus of the character indicated. It pertains to the subject matter of my copending applications, Serial Nos. 477,753 and 723,478, iled, June 15, 1921, and July 1, 1924, respectively.

One object of my invention is to rovide a mechanism whereby a vertically sposed spindle may be driven by al horizontally disposed motor bymeans of a direct connected belt, and whereby the possibility of such belt becoming disengaged from its operative position is avoided.

Another object of my invention is to pro-l vide means for accomplishing the aforementioned vobject which will in nowise retard the operation of the machine during its normal operation.

Heretofore, it has been customary to start centrifugally operated drying machines by rotating the same manually in order to start ,the clothes container before energizing the motor or at the instantv of energization thereof. No 4means has been provided for preventing rotationof the basket other than the proper direction. As a result, an inexperienced operatorl will very frequently rotate the basket in the direction opposite to that in `which the motor tends to drive it. In such instances, the motor must lirst stop the rotation of the clothes container and subsequently start it in the reverse direction. This is objectionable as there is a possibility of overheating the motor seriously duringthe prolonged starting period.

Briefly, my invention consists of driving a vertically disposed centrifugal extractor from an electrical motor by means of a quarter-turn belt and providing a centrifugally actuated pawl mechanism which is operative Yonly 'at relatively slow speeds vto prevent rotation of the extractor mechanism in the direction which would tend to dis place the aforementioned quarter-turn belt.

lin the accompanying drawings, u

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a centrifugal extractor constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line lll-II of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, I show a supporting structure comprising a base member 3 and a housing d supported thereon by means of 1921. ser1a1 no. 486,005.

an intermediate structure 5. Within the housing 4 is disposed a rotatable perforated clothes'basket or container 6 mounted upon a vertically disposed shaft 7, the lower end of which is supported by means of a thrust the housing 10, which is stationary with respect to the supporting members 3, is pro- 7o vided with a ratchet wheel 12, the immediately adjacent portion 13 of which is tapered, for reasons to be hereinafter set forth.

' Upon the shaft 7 is mounted a cylindri- 75 cal housing 14 which encloses the sleeve 9 and the housing 10 .and which has an enlarged portion 15 that constitutes a pulley. A'horizontally disposed motor 16 is mount1 ed upon the supporting structure 3 and is 80 adapted todrive the shaft 7 by means' of the pulley 15 through anendless belt 17. It Willbe observed that the motor is horizontally disposed whereas the member 14,

which' is driven thereby, moves about a ver- 85 tical axis so that the belt connecting these' two members must be of the character l known as the quarter-turni belt. yAny belt must be so disposed that the direction of motion of each tangent of belt is in the oo plane` of rotation of the pulley which it engages. On disengaging from the pulley, the belt may lead out of this plane without interfering with proper functioningof the same. It is possibleto so dispose two pulleys in different planes as to meet the above I. requirements provided the belt moves in one direction only. If the belt is operated in the reverse direction without readjusting the positions of the pulleys it will immediately roll off the pulleys, A belt of this type will tend to move into alinement with that portion ,of the driving pulley by means of which the pull is exerted upon the belt.

This action necessitates that the belt be '105 driven in one direction only, since, if it is driven in the opposite .direction it will move olf the pulley. Y, 7 In order to prevent movement of the shaft and which is e5 and its associated belt 17 in the wrong 110 direction, I provide within the housing 14 a pawl member 19 pivotally mounted upon a pin 20 and held normally in engagement with the ratchet wheel 12 of the'housing 10 by means of a spring 21. The portion v13 of the ratchet wheel 12 is tapered for the followingM reason y In assemblin the machine, when the shaft 7, together wit its associated ratchet Wheel 12, is moved upwardly into the member 14, the inclined portion 13 will serve as a guide to the pawl 19 and move it into engagement with the ratchet wheel. The spring 2l is of such resiliency that, when the basket 6 is rotated at a relatively high speed, the pawl 19 will move outwardly out of engagement with the ratchet AWheel 12, by centrifugal force, thus removing any drag or noise therefrom during normal operation. A pin 22 serves to prevent the pawl 19 from moving, under the influence of centrifugal force, to such position as to injure the spring 21. A pin 28 also serves to prevent the pawl 19 from moving inwardly beyond the point at which the inclined surface 13 would engage it.

Y From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided a device which will prevent the improper rotation of the rotatable member, which if permitted, would displace the belt and result in a cessation of operation of the machine, such improper rotation might also injure the motor, as described. Also,.it will be apparent that lthe device whereby this result is accomplished will not interfere with `the normal operation of the machine in any respect whatsoever and will become effective only at relatively low rates of speed and when the clothes container is motionless. A further advantage obtained by my construction is that the assembly thereof is materially facilitated by tapering the upper portion of the ratchet Wheel, which, if of the usual type, would materially complicate assembly thereof on account of the location of the pawl member.

While I have shown but a single embodiment of my invention, further changes and modifications may be made without depart ing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a centrifugal drying machine, a rotatable shaft having a housing mgmber mounted thereon, a stationary bearing member surrounding said shaft and extending Within said housing member, said bearing member being rovided with a ratchet wheel, and a spring-pressed pawl mounted within said housing member and adapted to co-operate with said ratchet wheel.

2. In a centrifugal drying machine, a rotatable shaft having a housing member mounted thereon, a stationary bearing member surrounding said shaft and extending within said housin member, said bearing member being provided with a ratchet wheel, and a. centrifugally actuated spring-pressed pawl mounted on and Within said housing member and adapted to engage said ratchetv wheel during relatively low-speed operation only.

3. ln a centrifugal drying machine, a rotatable shaft having a housing member mounted thereon, a stationary ratchet wheel member disposed within said housing member, said ratchet wheel being provided with an integral tapered portion immediately adjacent thereto, and a sprin pressed pawl mounted within and upon sai housing member and adapted to co-operate with said ratchet wheel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto slbcribed' my name this 6th day of July, I 2

WALTER H. HIMZES. 

